LPGA Rookie of the Year set to elude America again as 2024’s mathematical shortlist comes to light

The LPGA Rookie of the Year race has seven players who could win, but an American isn't among the top five. Paula Creamer was the last American to win the award, in 2005.

Auston Kim is the highest-ranked American rookie in the 2024 race, at No. 6. She will have to win the ongoing BMW Ladies Championship and three more tournaments among the five more left this season to have enough points for a shot. She is at T18 with a score of 10-under.

While no rookie has won an LPGA event this year, the other players constituting the top five of the Rookie of the Year race are as follows:

Mao Saigo leads with 829 points. She's currently in the T8 position on the BMW Ladies Championship leaderboard. The golfer has seven top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour.

The second and third places on the standings are occupied by Jin Hee Im and Gabriela Ruffels with 707 and 494 points, respectively. Both have had four top-10 finishes throughout the LPGA season.

The fourth and fifth places in the Rookie of the Year race are occupied by Somi Lee and Nataliya Guseva with 362 points and 312 points, respectively.

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Who won the LPGA Rookie of the Year award through the years?

The first LPGA Rookie of the Year was Mary Mills in 1962. The second edition was won by Clifford Ann Creed in 1963 and the third by Susie Maxwell (Berning) in 1964.

The last Rookie of the Year was won by Hae Ran Ryu in 2023. Here's the full list of winners of the LPGA Rookie of the Year award:

• 2023 — Hae Ran Ryu
• 2022 — Atthaya Thitikul
• 2021 — Patty Tavatanakit
• 2020 — [not awarded]
• 2019 — Jeongeun Lee
• 2018 — Jin Young Ko
• 2017 — Sung Hyun Park
• 2016 — In Gee Chun
• 2015 — Sei Young Kim
• 2014 — Lydia Ko
• 2013 — Moriya Jutanugarn
• 2012 — So Yeon Ryu
• 2011 — Hee Kyung Seo
• 2010 — Azahara Munoz
• 2009 — Jiyai Shin
• 2008 — Yani Tseng
• 2007 — Angela Park
• 2006 — Seon-Hwa Lee
• 2005 — Paula Creamer
• 2004 — Shi-Hyun Ahn
• 2003 — Lorena Ochoa
• 2002 — Beth Bauer
• 2001 — Hee-Won Han
• 2000 — Dorothy Delasin
• 1999 — Mi Hyun Kim
• 1998 — Se Ri Pak
• 1997 — Lisa Hackney
• 1996 — Karrie Webb
• 1995 — Pat Hurst
• 1994 — Annika Sorenstam
• 1993 — Suzanne Strudwick
• 1992 — Helen Alfredsson
• 1991 — Brandie Burton
• 1990 — Hiromi Kobayashi
• 1989 — Pamela Wright
• 1988 — Liselotte Neumann
• 1987 — Tammie Green
• 1986 — Jody Rosenthal (Anschutz)
• 1985 — Penny Hammel
• 1984 — Juli Inkster
• 1983 — Stephanie Farwig
• 1982 — Patti Rizzo
• 1981 — Patty Sheehan
• 1980 — Myra VanHoose (Blackwelder)
• 1979 — Beth Daniel
• 1978 — Nancy Lopez
• 1977 — Debbie Massey
• 1976 — Bonnie Lauer
• 1975 — Amy Alcott
• 1974 — Jan Stephenson
• 1973 — Laura Baugh
• 1972 — Jocelyne Bourassa
• 1971 — Sally Little
• 1970 — JoAnne Carner
• 1969 — Jane Blalock
• 1968 — Sandra Post
• 1967 — Sharron Moran
• 1966 — Jan Ferraris
• 1965 — Margie Masters
• 1964 — Susie Maxwell (Berning)
• 1963 — Clifford Ann Creed
• 1962 — Mary Mills